Mohammed R. Akter

Mohammed R. Akter

Hometown:Richmond, Texas

Undergraduate University:University of Houston

Medical School:The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

Every part of JAMP has definitely been beneficial to me, but the aspect of JAMP that
I truly appreciated was the shadowing opportunities that were provided for the students.
At my second summer internship, I got to be in an operating room with a plastic surgeon
on several occasions, and it was awesome! I mention this because many students that
aren't in JAMP would possibly never be able to get such an insightful and thrilling
preceptorship.

How has JAMP helped you as you strive to achieve your goal of becoming a doctor? JAMP has helped me on my journey to become a doctor in many different ways. The financial
and academic assistance, as well as the close-knit group of friends I was able to
make at each of the summer internships, has added up to many priceless memories. Whether
it's the summer internships at medical schools or whether it's simply the experience
of meeting new people with similar goals as you, JAMP has given me the opportunity
to participate in many experiences that other medical school bound students may never
get. Additionally, they have provided the necessary preparation to make us students
comfortable during interview times and during the application process with personal
statement help and interview workshops at the summer internships.

What advice would you like to offer current or future JAMP students? One piece of advice that I would offer to future JAMP students, or even students
in general aspiring to go to medical school, is to always take advantage of even the
smallest opportunities that are given to you. Through my journey of trying to get
into medical school, I never took opportunities for granted. Being at the two summer
JAMP internships, it may be easy for many JAMP students to not realize the amazing
experiences that they will be getting. Instead of getting into this situation, I suggest
all students to take advantage of the opportunity by networking with other fellow
JAMP students, admissions committees, and various physicians at the different medical
schools. This is the chance to get to know people that have been through a similar
journey as you, and better yet, it can serve as a learning and humbling experience
by getting to know the other students on a personal basis. Personally, I'm so excited
that I will be going to the same medical school with some of the friends that I made
at my summer internships, and I will hopefully be able to cherish many more memories
with these friends as we go through medical school all the way to when we become practicing
physicians!

What aspect of JAMP has been most beneficial to you? Every part of JAMP has definitely been beneficial to me, but the aspect of JAMP that
I truly appreciated was the shadowing opportunities that were provided for the students.
At my second summer internship, I got to be in an operating room with a plastic surgeon
on several occasions, and it was awesome! I mention this because many students that
aren't in JAMP would possibly never be able to get such an insightful and thrilling
preceptorship. Another fortunate advantage of being in JAMP is the provided prep courses
and individual help at the summer internship before the MCAT test date actually came
around. Not only are each and every student treated like they are part of a big JAMP
family, but all of the student mentors and medical school staff also take care of
you during your stay at each medical school. The advice given from medical student
mentors will surely always stick with me as I go through the same process as they
are going through.

Advice for future JAMPers.Some other advice that I would give to JAMP students is to always strive to become
a better person and to stay humble throughout this invaluable journey. The JAMP internships
and opportunities allow you to become a better medical school applicant through many
medical experiences such as shadowing doctors and learning from medical school professors
on subjects such as anatomy or biochemistry. However, besides these internships, it
is important to be able to branch out of your comfort zone, stay eager to learn and
improve yourself at all times, and to get involved in other things outside of school.
The experiences that you may gain from certain long-term volunteer opportunities or
any other personal events are priceless and can help you to become not only a better
medical school applicant and future doctor, but also an exceptional person as well.